(Topic ID: 238792)

Alien Pinball - CONFIRMED!!! - Pinball Brothers Remake

By pcprogrammer

5 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 4,090 posts
  • 435 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 1 year ago by brado426
  • Topic is favorited by 126 Pinsiders

You

Linked Games

Topic poll

“Will Chicago Gaming manufacture Alien pinball?”

  • Yes, I believe it will happen 133 votes
    34%
  • No way, not a chance 253 votes
    66%

(386 votes)

This poll has been closed.

Topic Gallery

View topic image gallery

20220225_223025 (resized).jpg
nuke.gif
pasted_image (resized).png
pasted_image (resized).png
Leads? (resized).png
EB4A6F5C-3841-4A37-A525-5A85CD6AE6D6 (resized).jpeg
0D453659-6484-4511-A593-253625DBEA24 (resized).jpeg
F83D81CD-11E7-4602-BA75-9A6253DA488A (resized).jpeg
20210620_104344 (resized).jpg
20210620_101106 (resized).jpg
Screenshot_20210619-123810_Chrome (resized).jpg
20210619_113041 (resized).jpg
20210618_183039 (resized).jpg
20210618_171449 (resized).jpg
CDF9C8FD-E9E3-4624-8F8E-BA76DD881231.jpeg
alien pinball (resized).jpg

You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider dts.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.

#88 5 years ago

Alien is awesome but CGC would have to make so many modifications to their current process, it seems unlikely. TZ isn't even on the radar for them given how complex it was to make. So Alien...doubt it. Prove me wrong, that would be excellent!

#293 5 years ago
Quoted from f3honda4me:

Moot point. I can’t buy from them if they won’t return my call lol.

Call and ask for Mike. It is rare that I can’t get him right away. Bought four pins from him, excellent service, went the extra mile for me when an MMR was damaged in shipping.

7 months later
#810 4 years ago

How about this scenario: American Pinball does the remake. They have experience with doing this on a small level with Magic Girl, CGC seems too busy, and DR has other plans. Makes sense for AP, since it would be a big win, and for Pinball Brothers to get it done in the US, where most customers live. Maybe someone already addressed this but I didn’t see it scanning through.

#813 4 years ago
Quoted from PinMonk:

When Ferret came over to AP after working on Alien, I asked if that meant AP was picking up Alien production. Josh said no way, not happening.
So, no, AP isn't doing Alien according to Josh at AP.

I hope Josh’s no actually meant yes...

#815 4 years ago
Quoted from Roostking:

Does Josh make business decisions?

Not that I'm aware of. Pinball Bros probably has some sort of nondisclosure, so the answer would likely be no from any manufacturer, and ask forgiveness later... "Maybe" and "I don't know" are interpreted as yes, so that would be a tough position to be in.

1 week later
#824 4 years ago
Quoted from crwjumper:

Well . . . .
It seems that this won't be happening until early next year. Glad I didn't take any of those bets!

Yeah, so much for IAAPA and Florida Freeplay...disappointing.

1 year later
#923 3 years ago

I’ve only had Alien for a week, and was surprised how much I love the LCD in the playfield. The smaller screen is actually nicer to look at in person, imo, and strategically very helpful. The two together just take things to another level.

#935 3 years ago

My understanding is that Kenneth was one of the larger buyers of Alien, lost a ton of games, and was given some of the last games to honor his commitments. He has broken even from what he told me.

#941 3 years ago

Wrong thread

#973 3 years ago
Quoted from Aurich:

I'm trying to get an RTX 3080 and an AMD 5600x right now, I'll take any payment towards my PC build. Market is rough out there!
If they're deleting the playfield screen I actually finished all the art where that hole is when I did it, the rest of the planets are all there. I honestly was never a fan of that thing. Seemed like a big waste of BOM if you're going to end up sticking screens in the backbox anyways. Just one more reason the 'modular pinball' idea was doomed to failure. Every mistake you made in the beginning stuck to you for every game after it.

I can see how that’s annoying as you designed the art there, but in practice, the LCD is great. I went in skeptical with it, and now wish it was integrated into more games. Provides more immersion into the game, never need to look up, in addition to more lighting to the surrounding area.

#977 3 years ago
Quoted from Aurich:

Yeah, as MK6PIN is pointing out there was originally no backbox LCD, just the playfield. And okay, it's different, but cool.
Thing is, as soon as you start mirroring it to the backbox it starts to feel like a waste of build resources. And then you have the dumb decision to make the playfield and backbox LCDs different resolutions and aspect ratios and it just becomes really stupid. Now it's impossible to design for it in a way that looks good on both. It's just mirrored, there's no way to do any slick stuff where you send one image to the playfield and a different one to the backbox.
You're paying for two screens and optimizing for none and it's pointless to me at that point. You could use that budget for all kinds of better things, like flashers for instance.
Not putting art there is fine. I only designed the whole thing without the screen because it just made more sense. Then if I needed to shift things or anything changed I had a complete vision.
Also, at one point I toyed with the idea of trying to make the playfield art match up with the LCD so you could have it continuous in the background of the screen. I think Captain Nemo did something like that? Never happened because without physical access to a machine I couldn't do the work to line things up properly, so I abandoned the whole idea.

Great idea to match the playfield art with the LCD or be able to transfer between screens! Seems like the remake should keep your art on the backglass and just have the LCD in the playfield.

#991 3 years ago
Quoted from jeffspinballpalace:

We’ve glossed over a recent development without batting an eye. This schematic is a widebody, however every rumor until now has AlienR as a standard width. A narrow body sample game was allegedly built and being shopped around for production. So was that part of the rumor patently false and wrongly passed on from story to story? Or is it probably true and this might represent a new approach to designing the game?
In my book - the widebody design, lit cabinet panels, Xeno and in-playfield lcd are all features I would not want removed. Doing so, PB might as well redesign the pin 100% from the ground up. If they want to remake Alien, make it look exactly like the original or with a few enhancements, not something fubar.

Depends on your source. I've been told for over a year it is widebody, no LCD screen. In the future, see through OLED screens could be incredible modifications to this and other games on the playfield, if they are thin enough.

13
#1095 3 years ago

Just picked up an Alien a couple of weeks ago, and it is one of the most enjoyable games I've ever owned, nearly 20 years in this hobby. I think losing the screens is unfortunate, particularly the playfield LCD, but gaining the magnet pretty cool. The more people that can play this game, the better. I'd played one on location in Banning and really couldn't get a feel for how good it is. In the home, it is epic, one of the best pins ever for theme integration. David Thiel obviously had a lot of fun with the music and sound effects on this game. Light show, shots, rule set, modes that are distinctive, Xeno mech, I could go on and on. A remake is fine by me, and I'd bet someone will come up with another mirrored screen under the glass.

#1135 3 years ago
Quoted from iceman44:

How long has it been? I think almost 2 yrs now since I said this redo was coming
Lost a couple of bets on poor timing. Thx PB!
It’s a great game. Best sound and immersion of any pin I have. David Thiel
Code is fantastic and now improved upon
The price? I heard in the $11-12k range a while back

Through the rumor mill I heard less but I guess we won’t know until it’s released. It would be cool if they did a Standard and LE of this as well. Perhaps a future run with the LCD back in the playfield. My LE has the feel of a high end pin, at least at the level of JJP LEs at $9500. I prefer it over the the JJP LEs actually. Feels closer to the CE level imo, but we will have to see how it all goes down. Will it have EL side and back art? Quality sound? Shaker, etc? I’m guessing $10k, but Lebowski is moving at the level of JJP CEs, so this is just speculation.

#1141 3 years ago
Quoted from mbeardsley:

Probably because so few people have actually played one...

Or played early Standards on location that had technical problems.

#1167 3 years ago
Quoted from Faust:

My opinion on value of Alien:
with no support and an unfinished game, the prices will drop to about 80% of the remake price if that is a good game.
But bottom line we have not seen anything working yet.....

If it were the same exact game, I'd agree. The differences of the LCD playfield screen, large backbox screen, and cabinet, which I think are incredibly cool in person, are hard to ignore. I'm hoping any software improvements will be made available to the original owners.

#1172 3 years ago
Quoted from dung:

I love how the early games get shit on. Yep, they have issues.
Wrong drop target opto board.
Needs updated alien head and boards.
Needs the tower leds changed out.
Updated computer is debatable. I am told the original computer could have run the game. Note, it is a different computer than ft which is an entirely different architecture and could never run alien.
Power supply was woefully inadequate throughout production.
USB cables were bad throughout the run.
I have been told the transformer for the 70v blows a fuse, mine never has. I also do not suffer from the flippers lacking power.
My gripes with the game's reliability at this point have to do with io boards, led design, and the induction switches. The induction switches themselves are dead nuts reliable. Their detection range requires them to be up next to the playfield, but their socket design does not keep them there. Full throttle suffers from this as well. A 3d printed spacer is on my list of things to try and should fix this on both games.
Thing is, after doing the work I'd put mine up against a later run. I'd expect they would both have the same issues. We still have plenty of chat in the alien thread about dealing with heat, making the usb as reliable as possible. These games are by no means as reliable as an AP, JJP, Spooky, or Stern. I doubt they ever will be.
Let's say PB are not full of it.
Ditch USB.
Upgrade the power suppply for 5v/12v.
Add capacitors for 70v or go back to a transformer.
Do not serialize the leds.
Do not use induction switches.
Break up the overly large pcb boards. FT uses much smaller boards which are much much easier to deal with. Maintance on alien vs ft is night and day.
PETG plastics.
Active cooling in the cabinet.
The beacons should be belt driven not gear driven. The beacons are obnoxiously loud.
Less fragile face huggers.
More reliably scoop. Balls hang up on both the early and later versions which has prompted a few different fixes.
As for removing the playfield lcd. I am against. It is one of the things that makes alien unique. The game ties into the playfield. If I was going to ditch a screen it would be the airlock. It is mostly worthless and under utilized. It could be made to be more useful, but you could just as easily ditch it for a couple indicator leds.
The additional magnet doesn't do much for me. The cabinet change is an improvement. I like the uniqueness of Heighway cabs, but they are heavy. They have very little artwork. I dislike removing the head for transport.
As for the mentions of sharing a codebase using optionals, doable, but a headache. Testing release candidates requires doing so on two different machines. It ads a load of work that nets the company nothing since they wont sell the original design.
Still waiting on a real whitewood, or a plan, or really any proof.

I love hearing from the experts on this game, like you, who have dealt with every issue. You guys are invaluable. But...this kind of post scared me from buying one for a long time, until I learned that the late run games were dialed in. My LE has had fewer issues than two JJPOTCs, two BM66s, Lebowski, IMDN, etc. The only issue has been reconnecting usb cables to other locations on the motherboard as one I/O board wasn't consistently registering. Perfect now. The induction switches are actually pretty amazing, zero problems so far. I'd prefer them over slot switches if they continue to be this consistent. The cabinet was my question mark, and I actually really love it. No decals to scratch and cool backlighting on the side panels. It feels like it was made by the aerospace industry, super heavy and solid. But a Williams wide body cabinet will be more practical.

#1189 3 years ago
Quoted from Hazoff:

Add Robocop and Road Warrior for me but yeah. I just wish it was Stern or JJP or American, even Spooky. I would love a Terminator '84 dedicated pin. Its just such a shame we get such crap with these kinds of great themes around and then who ends up getting them, start ups. Why? WTF Stern, I mean TMNT? JJP and Wonka? American and Hot Wheels? where's Predator, U fuckfaces U.

I have a couple of European (built) games now. The quality is through the roof on both. I’d bet Pinball Brothers will do a great job.
37DC55DA-1924-48C0-A563-C8C6AB453553 (resized).jpeg37DC55DA-1924-48C0-A563-C8C6AB453553 (resized).jpeg

#1206 3 years ago
Quoted from Hazoff:

Great, but when TBL and Alien are pretty much both failures who gives a shit. I would much rather have an Alien pin by Stern even if its little baron, I mean its gonna play fast and the LE would have enough stuff in it for those who need that and at least it would be in my house, its a guarantee, I can play the thing. I couldn't care less about build quality if they can't deliver. Pinball Brothers has a massive hurdle to jump, I hope they do and I hope many of u send them money to make it happen, I'm not. Until its over here and I can play one and buy it on the spot its not happening.

Got it, Stern reliably delivers. Stern does a great job getting games out, but we are talking about boutique pinball here. With any luck, a couple of hundred will come quickly, but more likely it’s a trickle and you’ll have look for one to play.

#1240 3 years ago

Seems like a good bet that Chris Franchi will be on the cabinet art, and the art package otherwise remains the same.

#1245 3 years ago

At least we can have some fun here predicting what will go in it-
CE: Radcals Chris Franchi art, PDI glass, shaker, illuminated side and back art, topper $12,500
LE: remove above $9500
SE: Alien toy $50

#1280 3 years ago
Quoted from razorsedge:

In ditching the screen they've made it a gutted out stern Pro, 7k max for the no screens option, one would certainly expect. No central screen and no big screen either, no way 10k is justifiable. Atmosphere is gone to boot.

This is looking really good to me. Someone will mod another screen under glass. Shoot, I may do that. But most likely I’ll ultimately keep my original for the screens and cabinet, which are over the top.

#1293 3 years ago
Quoted from Whysnow:

I never really thought the screen was very good to be honest.

It's one of my favorite things on my Alien. But there will be a way to figure out an alternative.

#1298 3 years ago
Quoted from iceman44:

PB setting up for a massive win
Some of you guys whining about price haven’t been paying attention to the current state of pinball.
It ain’t no Stern pro. And it’s Alien
It’s already a great game and now with expanded code
Most people have never had a chance to play it
It has FAR exceeded my expectations and is the last game I’d ever sell

Agree with you here, it’s exceptional.

#1315 3 years ago
Quoted from flynnibus:

Nah, the product (and not just the shell of a company behind it) was still a problem. 'working out the kinks' as you put it is the elephant in the room. Choices made, platform designs, and others needed to be thrown out and redone. These were largely mechanical, electrical, and management choices that were all made in the UK and the US team had no control over. They had to work with what they had.
That's why I'm still hopeful they have purged their demons - because failing to do so won't let the title flourish as it should be able to.

Well that's why they are teases... When they launch the product hopefully they acknowledge more of that.

My LE #001 had the following issue: plug in a usb cable to a connector. Way more problems with two JJPOTCs, IMDN, BM66, etc etc.

#1323 3 years ago
Quoted from flynnibus:

I'm happy that the game you just got two months ago has been great for you... but you're one of the luckiest if you've not dealt with
You never had disco lights
You never had 48v shutdowns leading to intermittent flipper stops
You never had cracked plastics
You never had any xeno jaw issues
You never had any xeno tongue issues
You never had any display connector issues
You never had ball launch issues
There are many issues with the mechanical and electrical design of the HWP product that many faithful just dismiss as either solved after the fact or just live with... like disco lights, xeno reliability, etc.

Guess I'm lucky, I don't even know what you mean by disco lights. I did replace the DVI cable to the playfield screen. The early run games you worked on had a lot of problems, the later ones not as much. I hope Pinball Brothers has more consistency.

#1326 3 years ago
Quoted from WeirPinball:

I had one of the last from cointaker - It took me quite a while to get it up and running. I bought it basically knowing it would work upon setup.

Perhaps Roger, the owner of Pinball Brothers, dialed mine in before I received it. It had pretty low plays but no issues previously that I know about. I did have feedback from a number of owners of late LE run games that have been lucky as well, or I wouldn't have done it. In fact, I was waiting for the remake a year and a half before I bought mine.

#1340 3 years ago
Quoted from chrishoyle99:

Ditto Indypin
My late / last batch LE has been Super reliable and an absolute joy to play , absolute keeper ans also looking to max out on great mods.
The only very minor problems i have had in just under 2 years of ownership are :
One LED partially failed (the green element failed, red and blue continued to work)
Ball launch adjustment
Simple Top right flipper fix
Thats it! Seems like a few batches of Alien were pretty reliable.

Now there are six of us here in short sequence reporting extremely reliable late run games. I know of many more, so it seems that is a trend rather than luck. Hopefully that keeps going with the remake.

#1356 3 years ago
Quoted from Llabnip1972:

I'm 100% in as long as Cointaker is the distributor

Sounds like you’re 100% in then!

#1404 3 years ago

My playfield LCD display is fine, and a playfield window no big deal. Shoulda kept that one for sure. It must save lot of money to remove the huge LCD and playfield one. I'd bet buyers would pay $1000 more for the playfield LCD, so that is an unfortunate decision. The LCD screen in the playfield is awesome! I completely disagree with others who say it isn't helpful, even necessary to the atmosphere. However, I'd bet there will be some way to implement at least a small LCD somewhere under glass. The larger LCD on the backglass is extremely cool, but not necessary. There may be a way to hack that as well, with the old backglass. But...it's looking otherwise like the same game to me. Even the induction switches have remained, which is great imo. People criticize the old cabinet, but after owning it for a few weeks now, I love it. It fits the Alien "feel" of a heavy industrial machine, and the illuminated side art is beautiful. As to the art, there are critics but I'm not one of them. Aurich did a great job. I'm a huge fan of H.R. Giger's art and it is there: in the video, the xeno, the facehuggers, etc. The big variable that will be most important here is continued software development and support. Will that be offered to the original owners? So...did my Alien LE just drop in value? Who cares, it's an awesome game and deserves a larger group of owners. Btw, the rank on Pinside is ridiculous. It is easily a top 20 game, for me a top 10, easily better than the two JJPOTCs I've owned. But I've learned over the years not to pay much attention to the list.

#1411 3 years ago

A transparent OLED would be interesting under some mylar if thin enough, or on the apron.

pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png
#1429 3 years ago
Quoted from rai:

I’m hoping $7500 plus shipping.

Add at least couple of thousand to that. The quality is like a JJP LE. If it is $7500, that would be the best deal in pinball.

#1432 3 years ago
Quoted from rai:

Best deal imo is/was AFM remake at $6K

You've got a great point there, actually!

#1435 3 years ago
Quoted from Yelobird:

What type of code would be needed? Seems that second display was nothing more then a mirror splitter of the primary screen. Personally never seen a value added having it but looked nice.

Helps with playing the game. You see what to do in the modes quickly, and it creates a cool motion detector graphic on the playfield, as well as ambient light. Necessary, no. Just cool. I'm still in line for a remake, so I'll compare them side by side and see which I ultimately prefer.

#1535 3 years ago

Impressive price point for an epic game! The cabinet isn't really in the same league as the original imo, so it may play a bit differently in terms of the feel/mass of the machine. No playfield LCD but a pretty large backbox screen. Looks good! So a couple of thousand more for an LE, perhaps, pretty impressive! LE: add illuminated side blades and back art, beacons, shaker, anti-glare glass...$10k? Maybe, with any luck, they will bring back the playfield LCD.

#1537 3 years ago

The apron is centered properly!

#1556 3 years ago
Quoted from MK6PIN:

The apron on the original was " centered" properly, just cheap plastic.
Look at TronLE, TZ, and a multitude of other games.
Orientation is to the playfield flipper geometry, not the cabinet...otherwise you start covering up things
It is nice to see metal on this one..

My original apron is centered to the game but not the flippers, as you know!

#1563 3 years ago
Quoted from MK6PIN:

Not an apron thread...look at the games I mentioned and it will make sense ( maybe)...

This is the remake thread, and talking about differences is fine.

15
#1605 3 years ago
Quoted from CrazyLevi:

This is the stupidest fucking thing I've read all day.
Since Cointaker is taking deposits, that means these Italians know how to build reliable pinball machines? Can you steer me through these logic gymnastics?
Cointaker took deposits on that lemon Lebowski too, dude. Explain that.
Cointaker likes money, and they are hoping this works out too. Good for them.

Lebowski is no lemon, I own one. Neither is my original Alien. Not every game has to be made in America, by Stern. There is room for others in this space. Not sure what you are upset about here, no prepayment is required, Italy has a great manufacturing tradition, Europeans don't have to pay a stupid tax, and Cointaker is good for this with a refundable deposit.

#1615 3 years ago
Quoted from CrazyLevi:

This is all fine and true.
It just doesn't justify the tortured logic that "cointaker is taking deposits so that proves this will be good."
At least we finally know the answer: CGC is not going manufacture Alien pinball.

That is not what I said. Cointaker is taking a refundable deposit, so this is not the same as previous situations where buyers had to prepay games. We will see how well the games are built and that will determine whether people keep their deposits in the system for the LE. My guess is they will.

#1648 3 years ago

Looks like $9999 for the LE version on PB's site. Plus $418 shipping, not bad if it comes in loaded, a couple of thousand less than I was expecting.

#1798 3 years ago
Quoted from chrishoyle99:

I agree not uncommon to have a late LE that works nicely and all the plastic gears etc etc are easily fixed / upgraded to metal and also spare smaller screens not expensive. This great community has a fix for almost everything.
My late build LE now 2 years of ownership - 3 x very minor issues totalling less than 1 hour of time to sort out.
Many other similar reports on here.

My experience has been great as a new owner. I watched the forums for a long time before getting one, and have had minor adjustments like any pin. But I can understand how there is a bitter taste for early adopters. They did so much that is now being addressed with another run. I’m in for an LE but may just keep my original unless there are things I prefer with this version.

#1842 3 years ago
Quoted from cooked71:

Thanks.
Played it very briefly at TPF when Andrew was there and it hardly worked.
Do you think it will miss the screen on the PF? I thought that was really cool.

I think it’s a loss. Easy to level mine and put some Mylar over it for insurance. I was hoping that the LE would have this option but it doesn’t sound like it from the interview. The other small screen stays, and code is great. Improvements include the extra magnet and hypersleep lock mech. The cabinet is a practical decision. As cool as the old one is imo, it is intended as a modular cabinet for other games and that isn’t the business model here. This is pretty much a home run imo, with the exception of the playfield lcd decision. I’m in for one!

#1876 3 years ago
Quoted from razorsedge:

The playfield display was definately a significant part of the theme integration and using assets well... boldly, in your face.

Agree, still hoping this makes it into the LE. Super solid, was looking at it earlier today. I put some Mylar over the top and it looks flush and well protected. Seems a lot of the future club members would like this!

BD7099AD-5C94-4799-B4DC-6B89D51A0DCB (resized).jpegBD7099AD-5C94-4799-B4DC-6B89D51A0DCB (resized).jpeg
#1886 3 years ago
Quoted from Averell:

Mylar on top of the screen is a good idea, but the main issue will appear if the edges of the coating will break!
One of my first improvements and it works very well... putting the mylar on top of the playfield 10 mm over the edges of the monitor.
[quoted image]

Yes, that’s what I did, on your advice, covered the edges onto the playfield. I removed the screen to see how hard it is to level, very easy, like the playfield windows on Congo/CFTBL/TBL. This made me more puzzled by PB’s decision, as it would be easy to ship with Mylar over the screen and edges, and they said the costs were the same as what they did instead. Posted here to keep the idea out there as it seems PB hasn’t finalized everything on the LV shipping later in 2021.

#1899 3 years ago
Quoted from delt31:

From my extensive experience, owning alien since it was first released (CT first batch) it’s not the damage to the PF but the actual screen itself. In my earlier ones, the screen would change color after a while. I’ve even had to replace it completely which is why I buy backups but the quality of that screen after multiple uses and the heat in the game causes problems. They prob said if it’s just a mirror, let’s not deal with the hassle b/c it won’t be an if but a when with that PF screen itself (whether it’s damage to the PF, the screen working itself after multiple use or both).
For me, I would still rather have it and deal with that than not but for the majority and if I’m PB, it’s another hassle you don’t need to deal with. I actually think the sen guns and the weapon info is the smartest thing to replace b/c in the original, the weapons aren’t explained really well so this really puts a spotlight on it. I think both (screen or art) work

That helps to understand why they removed it, less is more for PB in this case.

#1947 3 years ago
Quoted from SuperPinball:

So they are neither confirming nor denying that a playfield LCD will be a feature on the LV. I think they should have finalized the features of the LV before selling the standard edition. I still can't see what could possibly be $2200 without it. JJP Standard to LE is $1000, Stern Premium to LE is about $1200-1400.

Seems smart not to undercut sales of the standard edition by revealing too much on the LV. But they may also genuinely not know, as this is their first machine. Any way you look at it, an Alien for a little over $8k shipped is incredible. This is gonna be a home run.

#2022 3 years ago
Quoted from rai:

I’m just perplexed that Alien is ranked so low at 64 on the top100 lower than Judge Dredd, below SW episode 1 for example. When clearly it’s a top theme and has a lot of good things to speak of.

My guess is a lot of the ratings were based on problematic games early on location. Watch it go up now!

#2035 3 years ago
Quoted from gonzo73:

I would never buy an original Alien, I dont have the skills to keep it running.
What the pin community have done to keep them on life support in astounding.
In the other Alien thread you can hear the owners clenching thier teeth, that there looks to be a reliable, improved Alien around the corner.
But who in thier right mind would not want the PB version, that has been upgraded with reliable Electronics and mechs?
I've been hoping for the last 3 years that the remake would happen, as I think it's the best theme integration in all pinball.

My LE is extremely solid. I was expecting to have to work on it more, and I enjoy that element of owning pinball machines, but other than a couple of minor adjustments, it’s as solid as anything I’ve owned so far. It’s a top 5 game for me personally, sits right next to my TZ. I’m on the list for an LV as well, like some other original owners. It’s just that good. I assume one or the other will win in my collection, not sure which but I’m guessing the original. If they add new code, or I’m in love with the extra magnet and hypersleep lock mech, and that’s possible, it may be the other way around. I hope they bring back the LCD screen in the playfield and figure out illuminated side blades. That might do it for me. Can’t wait to compare them in person.

#2110 3 years ago
Quoted from razorsedge:

There isn't limited stock. They don't get mor in anymor because everyone just getting them direct. It is not because they are discontinued or anything. They'll be available for a bit yet, not a very old line, fairly recent actually. Cutting edge at the time they switched to them from the underpowered system on a chip.
They already stated contrary to your theory. Hardware platform a complete rework of the same thing, just for comms and servicability.

One of the reasons I'm in line for an LV, with a perfectly good original, is the question of code and support. With the support apparently improving, new I/O boards, etc., and some interchangeable parts, code is the remaining question for me. I do like the extra magnet and lock mechanism in the hypersleep chamber, but not more than the LCD in the playfield, larger screen in the backbox, and amazing cabinet(gotta see this thing in person, it's great and fits the feel of an Alien universe). But then the code as is remains fantastic, so I'm not that concerned. If David Thiel did more music and sound effects not available to original owners, that would change things. Hopefully PB will make any positive changes available to the original owners.

1 week later
#2189 3 years ago
Quoted from Hazoff:

The good thing this time is ur not sending money overseas to a European company. A refundable deposit with a local distributor takes the edge off. I'm still gonna wait a year minimum. I figure if its still being made a year from now then things are solid. I really don't want to be in the 1st 100 then they fold like a cheap suit. Boy am I full of shit. I want it right away and will have many a sleepless fighting the urge to take the plunge. Damn it

For a price just north of a Stern Pre, this is a no brainer, go for it! I've owned Alien for a couple of months now, and it is one of my favorite games, 20 years into the hobby. Incredible immersion, great rules, shots, lighting, music, sound, call outs, on and on. I'd get one without the LCD in the playfield at that price, although I love this feature. Many parts are Williams based now, so pick up an extra motherboard if you are concerned, perhaps pcbs, and some other parts when available.

Super exclusive ad from the Pinside Marketplace!
#2192 3 years ago
Quoted from Hazoff:

100%
Thing is I don't want 1 of 100 made then it folds. I want a game that's out there with proven tech support and happy owners. Its gonna be tough but I'll wait a year and if Godzilla is on the horizon with Stern that will certainly fill the time.
I'm actually watching Alien right now on Hollywood Suite 70's, it just burst out of Cains chest. How am I gonna pull off waiting a year.

Man, this is one of those times that being an early adopter makes sense. They are launching this on the foundation of the original Alien, with some modifications to make it more stable. My late run Alien is perfect, and I'd expect them to pick up the ball where they left off. I have "Pinball Brothers" stamped on the PCBs. They are completely in as a company. Even if you don't love it, or decide to get an LV subsequently, it should be easy to sell. Shoot, it might even go up in value.

#2212 3 years ago
Quoted from Zablon:

It also is kind of annoying that if that IS the case, that they haven't figured out what is going in the LV, but..that's first world problems.

Perhaps they are gauging the response for the standard before deciding on the production of LVs. Seems smart not to undermine their sales of standard games. With any luck, these forums are influencing their decisions, such as putting a screen in the playfield.

#2221 3 years ago
Quoted from PappyBoyington:

How was the sound system in the original HWP version? I'm assuming that the PB version will be the same.

It is exceptionally good, among the best I've ever heard. Not sure if they are using the same system but if so, it will be amazing. David Thiel even weighed in on how to fine tune the amplifier:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/alien-pinball-official-game-thread/page/503#post-5146963

#2249 3 years ago
Quoted from SLAMT1LT:

One good thing about Andy Heighway, he loved to get gameplay vids out early. He had me shoot gameplay vids on broken prototypes, which required masterful editing skills to make it look good.
Watch this video which shows the raw cut and my final edit of the original Alien promotional video.

Gotta say, if you have a finished product....SHOW THE DAMN WORLD ALREADY! Not showing anything means: you either have no confidence in your product, or it's not ready.

Interesting how much the playfield LCD is featured in this video. It really is puzzling that they left out a central feature. It's easy to level, like the window on Congo/Creature/Lebowski, and mylar overlay on the screen and edges protects from scratches/chips. It is much more important than the spinning disc in JJPOTC imo. In some modes, you wouldn't have enough time to look up at the screen to see what is going on during gameplay. No doubt, there will mods to address this.

#2251 3 years ago
Quoted from Zablon:

I would think that these days the hardware cost of such things (center pf, and large backbox lcd) would be lower, but production costs and other part costs are higher than they were in 2017. I imagine the removal of the center, and smaller bb screen was to offset some of that cost (and probably cheaper motherboard as less outputs needed) which was transferred to the stability improvements, the ball lock, the magnet. However, I can't imagine they saved that much money by making those screen changes.

Seems like Roger said the costs were the same to take the screen out. I like what they did for sure, but hope someone mirrors the screen, even on the apron as someone previously suggested. I'm guessing the new motherboard will have more than one DVI output.

#2257 3 years ago
Quoted from cleland:

I for one did not like the screen in the playfield. It was very distracting to me during gameplay, and it's the same info that's on the normal backbox display.
I'm happy with the standard edition in a normal Williams/Bally wide body cabinet too.

For me it is less distracting and adds great atmosphere. You literally never have to look up during the game, which increases focus during gameplay. Also, there are things you'd miss if you had to look up. As one example, in Combat Drop mode on Aliens, when you hit standup targets, individual characters briefly pop up on the screen, not long enough to reference to the backbox. Lots of other examples as well. But at the end of the day, this is Alien. You're still playing a masterpiece of pinball.

#2284 3 years ago
Quoted from Zablon:

There is no banking. Unless you are trying to sneakily tell us you know something, either out with it, or your assumption worth no more than anyone elses. I'm simply stating the fact that if they were to make that addtion, many SE orders will cancel for it.

I hope they do include it, even if it affects the value of my LE. It really is that good. Yelobird, sounds like you had a lemon, or it needed a new DVI cable. That would drive me crazy on the screen as well if it were static. I've seen that with faulty cables to larger screens as well. If, on the other hand, they leave it out, a standard is pretty appealing for the price.

#2288 3 years ago
Quoted from razorsedge:

Doubt the LV final features list will be anounced before middle of year, like in winter sometime... July-ish perhaps. Would be my guess based on what they said.
Lol

Winter in July! You guys are upside down in Australia

#2314 3 years ago
Quoted from PappyBoyington:

LOL i was thinking that the little playfield display was redundant.

The other way around. In practice, I rarely look up as the data is right there. Beyond being practical, it is beautiful and pulls you into the game.

1 week later
#2438 3 years ago
Quoted from pcprogrammer:

No issues here. Company has taken no money, they are communicating what's going on. I never expected anything would be ready by January. If they can get 100 of these in buyers hands in the next 3 to 6 months I'd call that a win. No one has the expectation that this is Stern.

I'd be willing to bet PB will pull this off. They have their name stamped all over the boards on my Alien. So another company is building it in Italy, sounds good to me. If it is close to the original, there is truly nothing like it. I'm down to one Stern at this point, and hope they follow the example of others by integrating more assets into machines. Like GnR, Lebowski, and Alien. Competition is good for everyone.

10
#2502 3 years ago
Quoted from Jvspin:

Ordered one. It's really nice and can be used better but I'm thinking it may be too big for the machine. Opinions?[quoted image][quoted image]

Nice! Is he doing the "live long and prosper" gesture? Ragtime chestburster for mine.

pasted_image (resized).pngpasted_image (resized).png
#2503 3 years ago
Quoted from Jvspin:

Here is a bust for comparison.[quoted image][quoted image]

Prefer the bust. Love the blue, btw, wish more LEs came in that color.

#2541 3 years ago
Quoted from delt31:

The original B/Ws have absolutely plummeted due to the remakes. Before the remakes MM were 15k. CC is also dropping big time and hasn't even been announced.

PB is probably watching that JJP $1k upcharge and thinking... The MM to MMR analogy is somewhat different in that original Alien has some unique features that will remain pretty compelling, especially with improved support from PB, I/O boards updated, parts, etc. But I’m still excited for a cheaper version of Alien.

#2550 3 years ago
Quoted from Utesichiban:

Be that as it may, I'd rather have the newer version if they work out all the bugs and can make a solid machine. Some collectors may want an original but I don't want to buy a headache and maintenance nightmare, original or not.

My original has been surprisingly reliable, better than many other new games I’ve owned. I spent hours dialing in BM66, IMDN, JJPOTCs, etc and basically have had to do minor things on my LE. The late run games were really good, so hopefully PB will continue down that road.

#2559 3 years ago

I’m an enthusiast for both and hope the remake is as good as the original. I think overall it probably will lack some of what makes the original so epic, but if it’s most of a pinball masterpiece, that’s pretty good. I’m on the list as well for an LV. The extras—magnet, lock mech, and lights look compelling. The magnet might make the hypersleep shot too easy, it’s a really satisfying but hard shot to hit now. The smaller screen, not sure, would have to see it, might be great. Loss of playfield screen, that’s unfortunate. The cabinet is a good idea to change as the original would be expensive to duplicate. Anyhow, Delt, it’s gonna be a thing to compare them, and why not? We can enjoy them both.

#2577 3 years ago
Quoted from Oneangrymo:

Umm no original owner is testy or nervous. We are sharing what we have experienced buying an original Alien so you know what to expect, and the Alien community has done tons of work so you guys can enjoy your new machines . Enjoy your machine.. when it comes.. which is tomorrow.
thanks

This is correct. PB has also gained from experiences of the owners. Pinball is a rare hobby where you don’t lose much. MK6PIN says, there’s Alien, and then everything else. There’s an SE in the market right now that is a great deal, works perfectly. I’d buy it if I didn’t already own an LE. But I’m also glad they kept the original layout, art, etc for the remake. We all want PB to succeed, it’s good for everyone. More parts, maybe more new machines as well.

1 month later
#2905 3 years ago

Playfield dimpling! Send it back. Any way you look at it, it's Alien for $8k. Yes, cheaper cabinet, and no side art. But...same basic layout and incredible music/sound and video package. I prefer my original, there is nothing like it, but am glad the remake is finally coming.

#2925 3 years ago
Quoted from Roostking:

Ok yea thanks for the reminder. Gameplay over art for sure, I think i was just kinda shocked. Just goes to show you how bad ass the original pin is. The new pin will sell big time if PB gets it right.

It will be interesting to see what the LV has over the standard. If it is just cosmetic, for example no playfield screen but beacons and side art, the standard may be the way to go.

#2940 3 years ago
Quoted from gliebig:

1. Hit play on video.
2. Look at playfield.

Just took a look at my original and there are minimal dimples. The ones that are there are very shallow and hard to see, like on my TZ. I bet this was a recent playfield and played a ton before shipping. Hope the other playfields have more cure time, if that’s the issue.

#2952 3 years ago
Quoted from rai:

That’s ok then. I don’t care about dimples every game has them, it’s the pooling and chipping that I worry about.

Wouldn't keep me from buying one, either, but I might put a protector on given the degree of dimpling. It is definitely worth pointing out, given that the playfield was billed as indestructible, and might be improved at this early point in production.

#2956 3 years ago
Quoted from CrazyLevi:

Dimpling panic comes and goes with the tides. I kinda thought we were over the hump but it never really goes away.

I'm puzzled by why you are posting here. You don't like these boutique pins, Alien, Lebowski, etc. You don't seem to like JJP. You like Stern. So...do you want an Alien?

#2958 3 years ago
Quoted from CrazyLevi:

I'm sorry, is this an Alien "owners' thread?"
WHat's up with all the thread policing today? If people don't like to read my posts, why not just ignore me? It's super easy.
To repeat a tired point, it's a forum based upon pinball discussion. If that's not your cup of tea you probably shouldn't come here.

I'm Just curious why you are obsessed by these threads. You must be really interested in Alien, Lebowski, JJPOTC, etc... I actually own or have owned these games. Most of us are enthusiasts for the games. You seem to want reactions.

#2960 3 years ago
Quoted from CrazyLevi:

Be curious no more!
I'm super interested in the boutiques / scams / projects that go nowhere etc that create an almost cult-like following here.
Why do people always want what they can't have?
Why do they always pine for "innovation" that they can't explain?
Why do they spend large sums of money on games that don't exist?
Why does nobody want a game, until suddenly everybody wants a game and will pay $20,000 for it?
It's truly fascinating to me. You could say I'm obsessed.

Well, that is actually interesting.

#2964 3 years ago
Quoted from punkin:

Looks like that's a term you just made up
https://www.google.com/search?q=Deep+Root+hype+copy&oq=Deep+Root+hype+copy&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
It's an almost universal human behavior. But once you are aware of it, it's pretty easy to recognise and correct internally.

This is turning into psychoanalysis!

#2978 3 years ago
Quoted from flynnibus:

Gotta say - the cabinet does feel pretty amauterish in this form. Lots of visual 'holes'

The original takes a lot of heat for the cabinet, but it is a thing of beauty in my small collection. The remake cabinet, on the other hand, is generic but a practical choice. New Radcal art could look amazing, powdercoating the armor, maybe some illuminated backbox side art. Big picture is the gameplay, and it is looking great! Also, the LEDs do seem to pop on the remake. For the price of Stern Pre, this may be a homerun.

#2986 3 years ago
Quoted from LordHumungus:

Cabinet art and some dimples? Who gives a shit. The main concern is seeing these shipping in bulk. That's what worries me. I'll buy when I see at least 100 out in the wild, no make that 300.

It’s heavy as well, which may alter the feel. But I basically agree, it’s Alien, bring it.

#2989 3 years ago
Quoted from flynnibus:

I never had a beef with the looks of the old cabinet... just the build of it. The fragile material, the floppy sides, the redonkulous key setup, etc. The lit sides were nice, but not a 'must have'. It was 'innovation' but not better.. but it looked good. The new cabinet looks like it takes the necessary 'just make it functional' choices.. but the art really should have been reworked to better fill in the available space. And the BG really is a step back IMO.. maybe the speaker/lighting differences will make up for it.. but give me the bigger screen.

That's strange, because one of the things I love about the original cabinet is the build quality. If anything, it makes other cabinets look fragile.

Quoted from LordHumungus:

For me, not even a want really. I don't know how u guys have ur pins set up but the side art on mine could be simple blackness and I would rarely notice. Lets get them shipping and proven solid then gripe about side art and all other the shit. Just saying.

The aesthetics of this game are really important, setting the tone. But the remake looks great to me. You are LordHummungus, get yourself one asap!

#2991 3 years ago
Quoted from flynnibus:

I wouldn't confuse boxy with sturdy. It was made of pressboard/MDF. The shoulder of the lower cabinet is routed so thin for the side panels it can be broken with your hand. I've personally dealt with two smashed heads. The lighting is literally ebay level strip LEDs stuffed into corners.
The heighway concepts for the modules look sturdy vs just wood cutouts in other cabinets... but the cabinet itself is a bit of a diva.

Well, I wish there were more divas like this one. I've been all over this thing and love it. Maybe the early ones weren't as well built, but this is a tank compared to so many other new games I've owned. Hope the new cabinet is quality as well.

1 week later
#3051 3 years ago
Quoted from Concretehardt:

What Melissa does best is take care of her customers and she does a hell of a lot for this community!

She is one of my favorite people in this small, weird, and sometimes dysfunctional community. She is the best.

1 week later
#3103 2 years ago
Quoted from Zablon:

Curious, do any other country distros have any info or a machine? Seems it's been 100% quiet about anything other than CT.

Cointaker is the only distro doing this in the USA, as with Lebowski. I think it is Nitro in Canada, not sure in Europe.

#3127 2 years ago
Quoted from PappyBoyington:

Not worried in the least. The distributer is a friend of mine.

I’d bet his source is CT, as they are the exclusive distributor in the States, and always have been.

#3129 2 years ago
Quoted from Durzel:

Sadly going to a theatre post-COVID is going to involve risk even if you’ve been vaccinated. How badly do you need to see the latest film in a cinema? Some industries, I think, are going to have serious long term viability issues.

For the price of a pinball machine, you can set up a high end home theater, 4k projector, large fixed gray screen, high end sound system. I have no real desire to go back to the movie theater, except as a reason to go out, so these direct release to home movies are fine by me.

1 week later
#3237 2 years ago

Things are looking really good, judging from these videos, gameplay is basically the same. I love my original, but could be swayed on the LV if they upgrade the cabinet, maybe add the screen back, figure out some EL side and back art, basically getting closer to the original, and add some code updates.

Quoted from LordHumungus:

OG? yeah its a better overall experience but I don't like having to invest any real time in searching for repairs and dealing with trying to get parts.

No probs on my late run at all, and PB will be supporting better I/O boards and parts. Not concerned about future support any more than for the remake.

#3240 2 years ago
Quoted from WeirPinball:

Are they using the same motherboard and software? I wouldn't think so, but reminder if anyone needs it I have it hosted on my website:
http://weirpinball.com/alien/alien.html

I think they are actually selling them, but for more than just buying one on Alibaba. Thanks for doing that!

#3255 2 years ago
Quoted from LordHumungus:

Chrome is better than some kind vomit green or sparkly blue but black is the ticket.

Have you seen one?! Still, blue is my favorite.

0DC26474-4DD9-418B-87DB-2EA564F4C1CF (resized).jpeg0DC26474-4DD9-418B-87DB-2EA564F4C1CF (resized).jpeg2476137D-66B5-4216-8CCB-62349F688941 (resized).jpeg2476137D-66B5-4216-8CCB-62349F688941 (resized).jpeg
#3258 2 years ago
Quoted from LordHumungus:

I don't want 2. I've never liked colored armor or powder coating. Part of the reason I stopped buying LE's. Just not my thing. Black, with a little grit to it. Thats the ticket.
Still what a beauty. I so wish Heighway had kept going. I'd have my LE and who knows what else from them by. That's a shame.

Well black is a color too!
I’m excited to see what the community does with the remake.

#3262 2 years ago
Quoted from delt31:

Very nice! I just love alien pinball - OG or new. Such a good game.

I can't wait to see you add Ripley into the video!

#3266 2 years ago
Quoted from facelift:

Black is not a color. Don't believe me? Look it up.

Yeah, I know. Changing the metal another color or shade was the point.

#3277 2 years ago
Quoted from LordHumungus:

I can't wait to not see u add Ripley into the video.

I’m missing your other avatar, Hazoff! Delt did some cool movie integration to JP code, so I figured he will build on what is already happening in the og community with audio mods. The code is already excellent, but it was fun to see that on JP, which really needed it. It may not be worth the time to implement, if the code allows anyhow. The universe here is solid without Ripley, but most people ask where she went. Back to the snooze button on Alien remake. I bet it will be in production for a while.

#3288 2 years ago
Quoted from MK6PIN:

Fun to see 6 Aliens in a row.....
Agreed, anxious to see " under the hood" .
Code had to accommodate magnet, physical lock, diff screen configuration, pf inserts,, etc. so had to be addressed.. Not sure that constitutes " better" or not.
BB empty except screen and speakers like before, so have to believe everything lives below.
Can't make it out in any of the videos or pics...are there actual rollover microswitches on the outlanes? Didn't see them...guessing the proximity sensors are still being used(?)
Believe @ averell is the only one that has toyed w adding, changing some audio/ video elements w Brian's help. PB doesn't work on this game tmk...could be wrong.
Anyway, fun to speculate what could be coming...the good side of this effort so far...

They are using induction/proximity switches that are more modular. On the video/audio, you are correct that Averell has done some great work on it, super talented guy, as well as @mik-readinguk. Some videos over on the og forum.

#3290 2 years ago
Quoted from MK6PIN:

Hmm on the switches....I've got some of Averell's files ( shared and others) in my machine so familiar. Was simply referencing this wasn't done w pinball browser...

Yeah, PB doesn't seem to work from what I have gathered. Cool you have extra files! Would like to do that after I finish other projects unrelated to pinball.

#3304 2 years ago
Quoted from pinballinreno:

I really want this game!
But without the in-playfield screen Im really disappointed.
Maybe there will be an LE that has it, otherwise Im out.....
REALLY DISAPPOINTED....

Judging from the last gameplay video, I don't think it will really matter. I like it in mine, and might wait to see if the LV has it, but it wouldn't keep me from buying this game. The important decision PB made was keeping the game as it was designed to shoot, and even adding back a couple of mechs. The other stuff is bling, whether you like it or not. Not that important, just looks good, depending on your tastes, as many don't even like it.

#3422 2 years ago
Quoted from gliebig:

Why is "you" so hard to spell out?

That is a symptom of tight sandals!

Quoted from flynnibus:

I'm not saying it can't be done - I'm addressing the people doubting the failures the PF screen had in the prior build. They were real.
The mount and cable integration done here was a high failure point. Could it be done differently? Of course. But those that continue to doubt screen failures are just whitewashing history.

Seems like a lot of us have zero problems with this one. I replaced the DVI cable for minor glitches, made sure the plastic window was level, like on Congo/Lebowski/Creature, and put some mylar over the edge. No problems at all.

#3426 2 years ago
Quoted from flynnibus:

Congrats - you win the phrase of the day - 'anecdotal evidence'
Your experience does not define everyones.

Likewise, your experience does not represent us all. My one experience is good, as are many others. Perhaps this is an early build versus late build issue, not sure.

#3451 2 years ago
Quoted from RETROCENGO:

Hi guys, i hope its okey, that i share my youtube video here, unboxing and a quick review:

Awesome to have a side to side comparison! What are your initial thoughts? I'll check out the video later.

Quoted from flynnibus:

da faq are you on about? I'm not bashing anything - just correcting the falsehood that the screens were never a problem. Yes they were and yes it was an easy fix in the field because the parts were easily sourced - never said otherwise. Yet some people insist on saying they were never a problem item to start with - that's what instigated the reply.
Some people just insist on acting like nothing was ever wrong with the game - even after they spent countless hours fixing them or stocking up on alternate or spare parts, etc.. and then act like none of it happened. That's bullshit... and so when same people keep doubting the reasons for change it's comical.
I look forward to seeing the guts of the new alien and how they hold up. It's such an amazing game that has been held back by its past engineering. I want to see Alien that we can play without worrying about it all the time and even put on location. I want my friend to get the recognition for the amazing title he created. But I'm not going to whitewash history to make that happen.

I don't think any of us with games that are fine invalidate your experience with ones that were not. The reason I said anything is that you are making huge blanket statements about all of these games that do not appear to be accurate. Mine is engineered fine, as are many others. I'm still excited to see the remake regardless, and back to that.

#3488 2 years ago

Looks really good overall, shouldn't be hard to upgrade the sound.

#3538 2 years ago
Quoted from PappyBoyington:

Some good information pulled from the comments from the fantastic unboxing video by Retrocengo.
This is from James Rees
Glad u liked it man! I designed mostly everything u see physically except for the artwork/electronics as well as the heighway version too. The second one we did, we did so much better, so nice to see this video
we worked it pretty much from the ground up again:
Made simpler flippers.
re designed the platforms/ramps to make assembly easier.
Changed the cabinet to a more traditional one.
Made the mechanisms more robust. It was mainly things to make production easier thus bring the costs down.
We lifted the bottom of the ball guides to allow more light to shine onto the playfield.
Added a hypersleep chamber ball lock at the top left corner.
Re designed the back box and pc completely.
Changed the sliding rails.
Reduced the number of posts needed.
Designed a new trough and launcher.
Made maintenance easier by making it easier to remove things. New finish on the ramps.
And a few other things but all this is from the top of my head, its been a while since i worked on this game and made another since lol
Hope this info helps.
I departed the company before they launched the game, so some things may have changed when i handed the game over to them too.
Full throttle and Alien were my first games, i worked with barry and dave on those, they gave me a 2d cad layout and i did the rest in 3d and taking all that to manufacturing. With the new Alien I tweaked what we had at heighway with rogers daily input on the project so thats how that game came to be. I hope u all enjoy it! We worked hard enoug

I thought Dennis Nordman did most of the design on Alien. Is he talking about the modifications on the remake?

#3542 2 years ago

Great to see that was so easily fixed. The sound is amazing on Alien. David Thiel imo is basically John Williams of pinball, I have three of his games.

1 week later
10
#3727 2 years ago
Quoted from delt31:

Btw - I know you’re struggling to decide if you go Alien LE OG or not. I think it’s hilarious how certain OG Alien owners think the new Alien is no longer “immersive” b/c it has a smaller tv screen or the PF redundant screen is no longer there. What a joke that is - like that game’s immersion was built just on a 27 inch tv screen. Not only is the immersion still there in the new Alien, but you’ll also have much more money in your pocket, enhanced code, rebuilt mechs/streamlined boards, better part availability and other things the OG owners won’t admit but know inside, concerns them. One custom I/O board away from the game no longer working. Sweet.
And shhhhhhh don’t remind them either there is now a physical ball lock and an extra magnet too in the new Alien. And when the LE comes out.....well, I’ll just stop there. It’s just too easy. That all being said, I still think it's cool to have both as OG def stands out on it's own.
Do yourself a favor and get the POTC CE and the new alien std, and then once the LE new alien comes out, trade up for that and have it all. You can even sell the CE to someone in the US and cash out too haha.

Ok, Delt, I'll speak up. I have been in line for a couple of years for the remake, and still am. I finally bought Roger's LE 001 as I was tired of waiting. And, no regrets at all. So...you owned how many standards with problems, and rebranded them as LEs? One with a number plate you modified to 426, I recall. Did you ever own a late run LE? Have you played the remake in person? Prediction: you will be looking for an original, probably an LE, again. The remake is very cool, and I'm really happy to see it happen, but what is your agenda here? Maybe you are angry at the OG owners. Beats me. I'm still in for an LV, but frankly love my original, so it will have to be incredible to lateral over. Pinball Bros is making new more reliable I/O boards for original owners, not that I've had any problems at all. I'll be interested to see how many fixes will be needed on the remakes. I've had to swap a DVI cable to the playfield screen, that's it. As for the hypersleep magnet, the shot is really satisfying without it, as it is more technical, like making the warp speed ramp on ST. Imagine a magnet for that game! No thanks. The hypersleep ball lock that pops up and down, not really a big deal. The big deal is that PB remade the same game for a great price. But the og stands as one of my favorite games 20 years in this hobby. BTW, I fast forwarded through SDTM with Zach, and it was seriously painful to listen to your lectures. Good grief, we are all human.

Quoted from delt31:

I still think it's cool to have both as OG def stands out on it's own.

Some truth...

#3732 2 years ago
Quoted from delt31:

Appreciate you speaking up vs just sending me private messages over the years about this and other games, asking for my opinion and thanking me for it. But I like this angle you're taking in public so let's go with it.
I don't like when OG owners try to put down the new Alien. I'm not sure why we can't be happy for both but I keep on reading the same garbage so I'm calling out the differences and why the new alien is great too.
My history of alien ownership is well documented. I suggest you spend time to read through before putting your foot in your mouth. I never sold my ultra loaded SE as an LE. I was very clear about that. I can 3d print whatever I want and put it on a machine for my own personal use but it was never sold as an LE and I was very direct on that. Nice try though and I can now understand why you perceive my view as lectures. I would too if I was wrong on something and being reminded about it. Nice to hear many folks though enjoyed my appearance and reached out to me directly to tell me about it.
and you don't like true ball locks? Sure. The OG shot is like star trek's repeating gravity shot? That's a good one - not sure what OG Alien you're playing but have fun explaining that one.
Let's just enjoy alien as is. I've documented why I believe it's great to have OG, as you've pointed out. I decided to jump out and get a new one. Others decided to keep OG - great. How about OG owners just stop putting down the new alien b/c it's dumb.
I won't comment on it anymore though - I think I've been clear enough ; )

Interesting response. You can spend over an hour giving Zach grief in a podcast but can't handle a little criticism here? Your approach to conflict or disagreement is to be insulting, demeaning, etc. I always like to be civil where possible, and have interacted with you regarding various games over the years, specifically Alien and Jurassic Park, as you did some nice work on both. I recall you asking my opinion in the past as well. I was, after all, in the hobby some 15 years before you, and don't really need anything from you at all. But with all of your public posturing, I figured it would be reasonable to speak up. Foot in mouth? Not really, you did sell a few standards along the way that were modified to look like LEs, and have never owned an LE without issues. Not sure how you are getting kudos for that cringeworthy interview. I guess we live in an era where it is ok to insult your host.

Promoted items from the Pinside Marketplace
$ 1,375.00
Lighting - Interactive
Evolution Mods
Interactive
$ 119.99
Displays
FlyLand Designs
Displays

You're currently viewing posts by Pinsider dts.
Click here to go back to viewing the entire thread.

Reply

Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

Donate to Pinside

Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/is-cgc-going-to-manufacture-alien-pinball?tu=dts and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.